


Magitale

by Gothicfear836



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Female Chara (Undertale), Female Frisk, Magitale, Magitale AU, Other, Undertale AU, Undertale Alternate Universe, Undertale Asgore, Undertale Muffet, Undertale Sans, Undertale Spoilers, Undertale frisk, Undertale grillby, Undertale toriel, undertale - Freeform, undertale alphys, undertale chara - Freeform, undertale papyrus, undertale undyne
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-27
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-09-27 06:12:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9979889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothicfear836/pseuds/Gothicfear836
Summary: Magi. Humans capable of weilding powerful magic. Jennifer is one of them, though not a very strong one. She doesn't remember her time on the surface, nor does she remember how she got into the underground. Which happened about three seconds ago. As far as she knows, she is just a normal human. A new companion tells her otherwise, however.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Undertale AU. :3 I have no drawing talent so don't be expecting a whole lot of art for it or anything. XD I would appreciate any and all feedback, so please, don't be shy. ^_^ Oh, and please note Alphyne is a coupling in this AU, but it is not the main focus. I may have more relationships later, but I don't know.
> 
> Edit: Please comment, people. If you don't comment, I don't know if you actually read it or just had a peek. :/

“Are you… Ok?” A voice asked quietly. I found myself looking around for it. It was so dark in here, I could barely see my hand in front of my face. It doesn’t help that it feels like I just fell off a two-story building. 

“Yes… At least, I think so," I answered, unsure of what to say. Silence spread throughout the darkness, making it feel a bit more like death. “Um… Where am I?” 

“You’re in the Underground,” The voice answered. This time it seemed like it was a bit farther away. 

“The… Underground? How did I get here?” I asked, trying to remember. How DID I get here? I….. I don’t remember. 

“I’m assuming you climbed Mount Ebott and fell in. That really is the only way you can get here, after all," It stated, a pinch of empathy in it’s voice. 

“I…. I don’t remember that," I answered, furrowing my brow in thought. 

“Well, what do you remember?” It asked. 

I closed my eyes, trying to think about something before this almost total blackness. The more I thought, the more everything started to feel….. Fuzzy. Just… What the hell is going on?!

“Do you… Remember your name at least?” It asked, obviously noticing my struggling to remember anything. 

I tried to think about this too, and when I did, only one word popped up in my mind. 

“Jennifer. I think… My name is Jennifer.” 

“You think? Hmm…. You must’ve hit your head pretty hard," It stated in an almost hushed whisper. “Well, I suppose we’ll have to cross that bridge later. For now, I guess it’s my turn to introduce myself.” 

The moment it stopped speaking, something stepped out of the darkness. It was a girl, I think. Her short brown hair and red eyes were kind of… Unsettling, but at the same time, kind of friendly. I could barely see her, but as she grew closer to me, everything seemed to… Brighten a little. Like she was illuminated with light. 

She looked me in the eyes with a quiet glare. At first, she looked kind of… Disgusted by me. Then, her expression softened and a grin spread across her face. 

“Greetings, Jennifer. I am Chara. It’s nice to meet you.”


	2. The fallen Humans

Chara's eyes seemed to trace my every movement. From blinking my eyes to breathing. It was almost as if she was scanning me…. 

She has been staring at me in silence ever since she introduced herself. Studying me like some kind of guinea pig. I tried to break the silence, but every time I did, I felt like her gaze was burning into my soul. 

Still, this gave me a chance to study her as well. She was actually really cute, but at the same time, she was terrifying. Her eyes were cold and full of pain. She definitely had the look of a serial killer in her eyes. 

It was a bit odd though…. While her eyes screamed “heartless,” I couldn’t shake the feeling of… Good energy around her. Like her aura was pure, but her mind wasn’t….. Definitely a strange girl. 

I wonder if anyone else feels like this…. I just can’t remember. Though, somehow, I doubt anyone else does. This girl definitely seems unique. 

“That’s a strange outfit you have on,” Chara said, finally breaking the silence. I immediately felt a wave of self-consciousness wash over me. 

“What?! What am I wearing?!” I exclaimed, frantically trying to look at my outfit. It was too dark to see anything. Chara burst into a giggling fit and waved dismissively. 

“Calm down. I was just messing with you," She assured me once her short giggling fit was done. “Besides, your outfit is pretty normal for down here.” 

“Wait, so I AM wearing something weird?” I asked, almost shocked by my own concern. The grin on her face was almost devious as I finished my question. 

“Well, you still look cute,” She started, putting her hands on her hips and turning away from me. “But, you look like a total weeaboo. I mean, the cloak and the hat are one thing, but that necklace and the glasses? Are you a total nerd, or what?” Wait… What is she talking about? 

I quietly reached up with one hand to see if there was a hat, and felt around my neck for the necklace with the other. Immediately I could feel the cloak she was talking about slip over my arm as I reached up for the hat. My hand brushed against the brim of a hat as soon as it got a little above eye-level. It was a large brim. Probably means it's a large hat. 

The necklace was there as well. It kinda felt like it was just some kind of jewel on the end of a chain. How did I not notice this stuff? 

“You look like you’re trying to cosplay as an anime witch," She stated, turning towards me again. “Is it Halloween up there or something? How did you keep that hat on when you fell anyway? ” 

“Hallow…. What?” I asked in confusion. 

“Nevermind," She said with a sigh. She turned away and started walking away from me, then motioned for me to follow. “We should probably leave the Load World. After all, it’s about time for you to wake up.” I started following her, then stopped in my tracks.

“Wait….’Load World’? ‘Wake up’? What are you talking about?” I asked, my brow furrowing. 

She stopped in her tracks as well, but when she did, her aura suddenly changed. The feeling of good energy vanished and it was replaced by something sinister. The air grew colder, and the darkness seemed to bend around Chara, moving towards me like tendrils. 

She slowly turned to face me, and I immediately wished I hadn’t said anything. Her eye sockets were pitch black. A black liquid, kind of like tar, dripped from the empty spaces. 

“What…….. The hell?!” I managed to squeak, taking a step backward. “This is… A nightmare, right? It’s not real…”

“Oh, I assure you, it is real,” She said quietly. Her voice was more monstrous now. “Don’t worry, I mean you no harm. Well….” She raised her hand towards me, as if offering to take me by the hand. “As long as you press this button, anyway.” 

As soon as she finished her sentence, a glowing hollow rectangle appeared in front of me. It has the word, ‘CONTINUE’ in big bold letters on the inside of it. 

“Of course, you could press this one instead,” She stated as another one appeared to the right of the other one. It had the words ‘GO BACK’ in it. “But I honestly wouldn’t recommend it…. Your choice, Jennifer…” 

I looked between her and the ‘buttons,’ trying to look for anything that indicated it was a dream. I found myself pinching my arm as I continued looking between them. But nothing happened. 

“CONTINUE or GO BACK,” I read aloud. Go back…. Whatever that means. It probably is the better option… But I think if I pick that one Chara would be mad. If this isn’t a dream… The last thing I want to do is get her mad. 

“Tick tock,” She hissed. “We have until the end of time Jennifer, but I am not a patient girl.” 

I studied her for a moment, then grit my teeth and placed my hand on the ‘CONTINUE’ button. As soon as I did, the other button flickered like a light bulb dying out, then vanished. Chara let out a low chuckled, then smiled at me. 

“Good choice…. I’ll see you when you wake up….”

“Partner.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the darkness seemed to swallow me. Everything vanished, including her, then a bright light forced me to shield my eyes with both hands. 

Once it died down, the scenery changed. I was standing in the middle of a bed of golden flowers. A light shone down from overhead, brightening up what looked like a cave. There were stalactites overhead, bearing down from the ceiling like teeth. I couldn’t help but feel unnerved at the sight of them. 

I quickly looked around the cave for Chara. The place was empty, save for the flowers. Everything was a bit blurry though, so I couldn’t tell for sure if I was alone in here. 

“Howdy!” A voice cried suddenly. I cried out in surprise and fell backward onto my butt. I looked around again, trying to find the source of the voice. My eyes fell onto a flower, sitting alone a few feet from the flower bed. It…. Had a face. “Golly, you look weird.” I blinked a few times, then stood up. 

I studied the flower, making sure to keep my distance. It seemed to follow me with it’s ‘eyes,’ which were basically just two black spots on it’s ‘face.’ It had a mouth as well, and it seemed equally as confused as I was. 

“You’re one to talk," I managed to squeak, my voice trembling. Chara was still fresh on my mind. “What… W-what are you?” It seemed to be annoyed by my question. 

“I’m a flower, DUH!” It snapped. “Look, I know it’s a bit surprising, but let’s try and look past the weirdness. How about we introduce ourselves?” It smiled at me, it’s face becoming really friendly. “Howdy! I’m Flowey. Flowey the flower. What’s your name?” I blinked in surprise and dropped down to my knees so I could try and tell if he was serious. 

“Wait… You’re a flower… And your name is ‘Flowey’?” I asked, looking for confirmation. I could feel myself starting to laugh, and tried my best to hide it. 

“You’re a pretty slow one, aren’t ya?” It said, heaving a sigh. “Let me explain it to you slowly. I. Am. A. Flower. My. Name. Is. Flowey…. And before you ask, I am a boy. Got it?” 

“So,” I started. “Does that mean you have a dad? And a mom?” Flowey hesitated. 

“Yes.” 

“Then that means… You’re a ‘son flower’?” I asked, trying not to chuckle at my own joke. I was already starting to feel a bit less terrified. 

“Har dee har har,” He mocked, rolling his eyes. “The smiley trashbag’s gonna love you. IF you make it that far.” Wait…..

“What do you mean?” 

“Didn’t Chara explain it to you?” My breath caught in my throat. This flower know Chara?! “You’re in the Underground, kid. There are different rules here than above ground. For example.” Little white seeds appeared in a circle all around him. “Let me show you how things work down here.” 

As soon as he finished talking, the world went pitch black again. I cried out in surprised and nearly leapt backward. This again? Am I back in that… What did Chara call it… “Load World”? 

“We have just entered a ‘FIGHT.’ Don’t worry though, I’m a nice flower. I won’t hurt ya,” He assured, winking and sticking his tongue out. “You see that thing there on your chest?” I looked down at my chest and nearly cried out in surprise again. The crystal on my necklace was glowing blue. The crystal reshaped itself into a heart, and grew slightly larger. “That is your soul. It’s weak right now, but you can make it strong with LV.” 

“What’s…. LV?” I asked hesitantly. This is all so… Strange. Is it really real?

“Why, LOVE of course,” He said with glee in his voice. “Down here, love is spread through little white ‘friendliness pellets.’ Here, have some. Just sit still. These will bond with your soul and make it stronger.” The seeds around him started gently floating towards me. I stared at them for a moment, then looked down at the now heart-shaped glowing crystal dangling from my neck. 

“This seems kind of fishy,” I said, rising to my feet. As soon as I stood up straight, the seeds shot forward with blinding speed. I barely managed to sidestep them and fell flat on my side. I rubbed my head and glared at Flowey. “What the hell?! Those looked more like bullets than ‘friendliness pellets’!” 

“Guess you’re smarter than you look," He mused, his smile became larger and more terrifying. “Little tip, kid. In this world; it’s kill or be killed. Now, how about we get down to the ‘killed’ part. Just sit still. I’ll make it quick.” A wave of fear, nervousness, and regret all washed over me at the same time.

“Stay away from me!” I shouted extending my arm towards him. I’m not entirely sure what my goal was in doing so, but as soon as my arm was fully extended, a ball of blue fire shot from my palm. 

Flowey and I cried out in surprise at the exact same time. He quickly vanished into the floor, allowing the fireball to explode in the spot he was in and leaving a small scorch mark in the dirt. The black void around us vanished as well, returning us to the cave. He popped back up a bit further away with an angry look on his face. 

“Chara didn’t tell me you could use magic!” He exclaimed, looking a bit scared to come near me. “Screw this. That puny blue soul isn’t worth dying over.” He vanished into the floor again, and silence fell over the cave once more. 

I lied there in surprise for a few moments, then looked at my hand. It didn’t look burned, and it certainly didn’t look like it was capable of shooting fire. Just what the hell is going on?! 

“Surprised, partner?” Chara’s voice suddenly rang out. 

I tried to turn and face the voice, but as soon as I did Chara was on top of me. She grabbed my arms by the wrists and slammed them down on the floor. She looked normal again. Even her aura was back to how it was before she got all…. Terrifying. 

“It’s nice to see you when you’re awake,” She said, making sure to keep my arms pinned. She was surprisingly strong. I couldn’t struggle at all. 

“What are you? W-what am I? Why did I shoot fire?!” I demanded, somehow convinced she had all the answers. She just chuckled at me, then let go of my wrists. She didn’t got off of me though. Instead, she just crossed her arms and smiled. 

“We’re Magi.” 

“We’re…. What?” 

“Magi. Humans who can use magic without the need of Monster Magic to activate it,” She explained. 'Monster Magic'? What is that? “But that’s… Unimportant. What is important is that you and I get out of this room. We don’t want to get caught by her, after all.” A sudden feeling of dread fell over me. What does she mean… Is there something else here that is like that flower…? 

“Caught by who?” 

“Toriel. The caretaker of the ruins.”


	3. Partners

Chara’s smile never faded as she continued to sit on top of me. Part of me wanted to attempt to get her off of me, but something told me that’s exactly what she wanted me to do. She was waiting so patiently, her eyes lighting up every time I moved, even just a small movement. What does she hope to accomplish with this? 

I shook away the thought and tried to focus on what she had just said a few moments before. Could there be another… Thing, just like that flower? 

“Who’s Toriel, exactly?” I asked, trying to fish for answers. She closed her eyes and shrugged. 

“No one, really. Just a six-foot-tall terrifying goat monster who guards these ruins,” She explained casually. Many possible appearances for such a creature flashed through my mind. None of them were comforting…. “Nothing for a Magi to be afraid of, but of course, you’re a rather weak Magi, so Flowey is probably the only monster you can handle. For now, at least.” 

“There are…. More?” I asked, my voice trembling all of a sudden. She giggled with delight at my apparent fear and leaned forward until her face was inches from mine. 

“There are hundreds down here. And ALL of them want that pretty blue soul of yours,” She explained, her smile growing wider. 

“Then… They can have it!” I exclaimed, reaching for the gem around my neck. As soon as my hand got close enough to touch it, Chara grabbed my arms and pinned them to the flower bed again. 

“It’s not that simple, I’m afraid. In order to take your soul, they need to kill you," She whispered into my ear. “Now, I’d love to keep explaining things, but I think what comes next is best explained through action. So, come on, little Magi. Let’s go gain some L.O.V.E.” 

She let go of my wrists and the moment she did, I grabbed her shoulders and forced forward as hard as I could. I meant to just shove her off, but as soon as I managed to shove hard enough, she grabbed my wrists again, pulling me forward as she fell back. 

There was a loud thud, then our positions were reversed. At first, she looked surprised, then her smile returned.

“You’re more forceful than I thought. All the previous humans who fell were either too brash or too shy. You though,” She licked her lips and touched my cheek with her hand. I recoiled instinctively and scurried off of her. She let out a howl of laughter than sat up. “We’re the same, you and I. I can tell.” 

“What are you talking about?!” I demanded, standing up as fast as I could. 

“You were smiling,” She pointed out, standing up as well. 

“I… I was?” How could I smile but not know it….? 

“We have the same smile, Jennifer. The same sick, twisted smile. It seems I chose the right partner," She rubbed the back of her head and clasped her hands together behind her back. “That makes me wonder…. What kind of life did you lead on the surface? Was it…. Like mine? Or was it more…. Heh… Sinister? I guess, that’s a question best left for another time.” 

She quietly walked past me, grabbing my hand as she walked past. I tried to resist at first, but she just seemed to pull me along anyway. Like it was nothing….. Just how strong IS Chara? 

I suppose it doesn’t matter. The point is, she’s stronger than me. So, I guess, for now at least, I have no choice but to do as she says. She might kill me otherwise. Or maybe she wouldn’t… She seems to enjoy toying with people. Or with me, at least. 

For a moment, all I did was think, then I started noticing something; It was getting darker, and we were walking down a corridor, or some kind of tunnel. There was a light at the far end, but… Even that seemed dim. 

Where is she leading me? I didn’t even see an exit in that cave before…. There must’ve been some tunnel entrance or something that I didn’t see…. 

“Chara,” I said after a moment of thought. She peeked back at me with a bit of a smile on her face, not bothering to slow down. “You said that all the monsters down here want my soul…. Does that mean, they’re all going to try and kill me? All of them?” 

“Well… Most of them. There are a select few who prefer to just leave you be. The ones in the ruins, for example. They’re usually rather docile. Makes them perfect for practice,” She explained. 

“What do you mean by that….?” I asked, fearing the answer. 

“You’re going to kill them, Jennifer. Some of them, at least. I understand that not all creatures like us like the idea of Genocide, so I’ll let you decide how much L.O.V.E. You want to gain. You can probably get around five LV before reaching Toriel. IF you kill ALL of them. If not… Well…. Two LV is the minimum required to defeat Toriel.” I don’t think I like how nonchalant she is about this…. “I won’t accept any less than three LV though, so you’re going to have to kill about ten monsters. Don’t worry, it’ll be fun.” 

“Are they going to be trying to kill me?” 

“I already said they weren’t. And that’s why-” 

“I’m not going to kill them.” She stopped in her tracks as soon as I said this, forcing me to stop as well. Her grip tightened on my hand, and the sinister aura returned. I hesitated for a moment, then I continued to speak. “I’m not going to kill something that’s not trying to kill me. That’s a bad thing to do… At least, I think it is….” 

“Jennifer,” She started, turning towards me. I fully expected to see her blackened out eyes and the black ooze, but I didn’t. She looked normal, but the aura was still there. 

I studied her face for a few moments, trying to figure out if she was going to try and kill me like I thought she would. Her face didn’t give anything away. She had a small grin on her face, and her eyes had a darker look in them than they did before. I tried to open my mouth to continue, but she put her finger up to my lips. 

“Jennifer,” She repeated. Her voice was more monstrous this time. I closed my eyes, preparing for whatever she was about to do…. But nothing happened. “You don’t want to be my partner, do you?” I opened my eyes and looked at her in surprise. 

“Uh…. Well, I just… Don’t think killing them would be very nice… Not if they’re just gonna leave me be,” I explained quietly. She chuckled and leaned in closer to me. Uncomfortably close, actually. I tried to back up a little bit, but she held me in place with her grip on my hand. 

“Very well… Then, how about you and I make a deal real quick," She said, after a moment of silence. 

“A deal? What is it?” I asked hesitantly. 

“I’ll allow you to spare any DOCILE monster you wish, but if they’re trying to kill you, you HAVE to kill them. No getting out of it, and NO COMPLAINING. Deal?” 

“And the alternative?” 

“I kill you right here and now, then I go find a new partner. One more…. Cooperative.” My breath caught in my throat. That’s not much of a deal….. 

“Fine,” I said, staring into her eyes. They seemed to light up as soon as I said this. “It’s a deal then.” 

She giggled with delight and kissed my cheek without warning. I cried out in surprise and nearly leapt backward. This time, she let go of my hand. 

“Sorry about that,” She said, her pure aura returning. “I got a bit excited. You are the cutest partner I’ve had, and honestly, I wasn’t expecting you to take the deal.” 

“You could’ve warned me, at least!” I snapped, trying not to let myself blush. Judging by my now burning cheeks and ears, I was failing. She howled with laughter, and then extended her hand toward me again. 

“You’re going to enjoy this game, partner. I guarantee it. Now, let’s go. Toriel awaits…”


	4. The First Puzzle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed up the ending a bit. Felt like I wanted to do something different with it.

I tried to keep my mind on something else as I sat silently in front of the flames. Just a large brazier of fire and some stairs between me and the “monsters” Chara mentioned. It was actually pretty peaceful right here. Could these things really be “monsters”? Why would there be such a peaceful energy in the air if they were all murderous like Chara says….? 

Well… She did say the ones in the ruins were docile… Maybe the air will become more sinister when I leave the ruins…. IF I leave the ruins… 

I shook my head to get the thoughts away and tried to focus on my surroundings. The layout was…. Kind of odd. I mean, the stones in this place looked ancient, but at the same time, brand new. The stairs were cut so perfectly, and hugged the walls on the sides of the room. The brazier was centrally located, surrounded by a perfect square of red leaves. 

The stone just under the brazier was darker than the stone that filled the square, yet the same color as the stone outside of the square. It was like they were trying to bring attention to the brazier…. I wonder if it’s important….

“I think I found your glasses, partner.” Chara’s voice tore me from my thoughts.

I glanced behind me just in time to have her place them on my face. Instantly, everything became clearer. It wasn’t that blurry before, I mean, I could tell where and what everything was, but still. It’s nice that everything in the distance isn’t blurry anymore. 

“Thank you,” I said, adjusting them on my face. Apparently, I had dropped them when I fell. Doesn’t explain why I had them on in the ‘load world,’ but whatever… It doesn’t matter. 

“Don’t mention it, cutie. You look a lot cuter with your glasses on. It’d be a crime if I didn’t go get them for you,” She exclaimed, beaming like she had just done the most honorable thing imaginable. “So, now that you can see better…. What do you think of me? Am I scary?” 

“I… Could always see you, Chara," I explained, chuckling a little bit. “And no, not really. Your aura is actually really pure, and you’re insanely cute…. For a psychopath.” A look of confusion washed over her. 

“My…. Aura?” 

“Well, yeah. It’s… A little hard to explain. It’s like this-” 

“I know what an aura is…. But, you’re saying you can feel mine?” 

“Well… Yeah. Can’t you feel mine?” She shook her head. 

“No.” 

“That’s… Odd.” 

“But you’re saying mine is…. Pure?” 

“Yes… Except for when you’re being mean. Your aura…. Kind of scares me when you’re like that. It’s very sinister.” 

“Oh," She said quietly, looking like she was deep in thought. “So… You really think I’m cute?” I blinked in surprise for a moment, then chuckled a bit. 

“I tell you your aura is sinister and you’re more concerned about what I said about your appearance? You really are a weirdo,” I teased, silently hoping she got flustered. I got my wish. Her face burned bright red as soon as I finished speaking. 

“I am not!” She protested. “I… I was just c-curious….” I giggled and quickly kissed her cheek. This made her face burn even brighter. 

“Payback for earlier," I stated simply, turning away from her. If I can get her to blush like that with only a few words and a peck on the cheek…. Maybe she isn’t as bad as she makes herself out to be. “You coming, partner?” 

“Y-yeah,” She answered quietly. Her voice was shaking slightly. I must’ve really flustered her. If that’s how she reacts to this…. I wonder how she reacts to full on flirting…. As if I’d have the guts to actually do that. 

“So, where to now? I’m guessing…. up those stairs, right?” I said, motioning to the stairs on the other side of the brazier. 

“Yes, but first you should touch that save point,” She said, pushing past me and making her way over to the stairs. 

As soon as she reached the bottom of the steps she pointed to the space between the two sets of stairs. A glowing ball of light appeared where she was pointing, adding even more light to the room. It looked kind of like a tiny sun. 

I quietly made my way over to it and tried to examine it closer. The moment my hand came within touching distance the ball of light disappeared, then a big black rectangle with white outlines appeared in front of me. It had a bunch of words inside. It read, “The shadow of the ruins looms above…. It fills you with determination.” 

Soon after I finished reading the words, the words vanished and the rectangle grew slightly larger. There were the words, “Empty LV 0 0:00” on the upper half of it, and on the lower half it read, “Save” on the left and “Return” on the right. 

“That is the ‘save screen,'” Chara explained. Her voice wasn’t shaking anymore, and it didn’t sound like she was at all uncomfortable. She got over that pretty fast. “Normally, only people with souls of determination can see these things. I’m not entirely sure how you can. I mean, I fully expected you to look at where I was pointing and get all confused.” 

“What’s…. A soul of determination?” I asked, looking the black rectangle up and down over and over again. It didn’t seem like this should be possible. 

“A soul of determination is a red soul," She explained, tapping me on the shoulder. I glanced over at her and stared at the new thing she had in her hands. Much like the crystal on my necklace, she was holding a floating glowing red crystal in her hands. It too was shaped as a heart. “My soul is one of determination. While yours, being dark blue, is one of integrity.” 

“Integrity?” I asked, turning back to the black rectangle. “What does that mean, exactly?” 

“It means your soul is weaker than mine," She stated simply. “However…. Despite your soul’s weakness, you somehow have the power to see save screens, not to mention enter the load world. So, while you may not have a soul of determination, you certainly have a unique soul.” 

“Unique…?” I mumbled, touching the gem dangling from my neck with two fingers. 

“Anyway, you should probably just hit ‘save.’ Don’t worry, nothing bad will happen. We’ll just get to see if you have the power to ‘come back’ later on,” She said, pointing to the word ‘save’ on the rectangle. 

I nodded and hit the button with my left hand. All the words on the “screen” vanished and in the upper left corner, the word “saving” appeared, then shortly after, it was replaced by “saved,” then the black rectangle disappeared. 

It didn’t matter what Chara meant by “come back.” I just hope it wasn’t anything bad….. 

“Well, let’s go partner," I said, quickly shaking away my thoughts. I quickly climbed the stairs on the left and came to a stop in front of the door.

There was a single window on each side of the door, and some kind of plaque above the doorframe. It had a bunch of strange symbols on it. Was it… Some kind of warning or something? 

“Welcome to Home,” Chara read aloud, nearly making me jump out of my skin. She giggled and smirked at me when I glared back at her. “I can read these plaques for you, so don’t hurt yourself trying to figure them out.” 

“How do you know this language?” 

“My..." She hesitated, sucking in a shallow breath and exhaling quietly. “My brother taught me.” 

“He must’ve been a smart guy," I said, continuing on through the door. 

“He was…. But he was also a crybaby,” Chara stated as she followed me. “He was always crying when I teased him.” 

I was about to ask her what happened to him, but the moment we got into the next room, her aura became sinister again. I glanced back at her, trying to see why it became sinister again, and I was met by a very hostile glare. 

“Let’s…. Let’s just keep going. We can… Talk more later," I said, turning away from her. I could feel her glare burning into the back of my head. Her brother must be a touchy subject. 

The room we were now in was a bit dimmer than the one before, probably due to the lack of light source, but it was still light enough to see. There was a closed door with a strange symbol on it directly opposite us now, as well as a lever to the right of it and another plaque to the left. The symbol on the door looked kind of like a smiley face with a ball that had wings above it. How strange…. 

Six large circular pressure plates sat in a pattern in front of the lever. Five of them sat in a X formation, while the sixth sat outside the bottom of the shape. This must be some kind of puzzle…. Or trap. 

“That plaque over there reads, ‘Only the fearless may proceed. Brave ones, foolish ones. Both walk not the middle road,'” Chara stated quietly, her aura slowly returning to its pure state. “The puzzle is kind of easy. Just walk on the four pressure plates that form the points of the X. Then pull that lever.” 

I blinked in surprise. Is that really it…? I suppose Chara wouldn’t lie to me… We are ‘partners’ according to her. 

I sucked in a deep breath and quickly followed her instructions. As soon as I stepped on the final pressure plate, there was a slight clicking noise coming from the lever. I walked up to it and pulled the lever down with both hands. Sure enough, the door did open, but as soon as it did a sharp pain erupted on my back. 

I didn't even have enough time to process it. There was just a sharp pain, then a tugging at my chest, and then nothing. Everything just faded into blackness. Then, before I knew it, I was at the bottom of the stairs again. Staring at the little glowing sun. 

"What.... Just," I tried to say, but the words came out shaky. I was trembling. It even hurt to speak a little. I could still feel whatever hurt me tearing through my backside. I ran my hands up my back as best as I could a few times before I managed to stop shaking. 

"You just died," Chara said, quietly. I quickly glanced back at her, trying to process what she just said. When I managed to turn around, I froze in place. She was looking at me like I was some kind of freak. 

"What? Why are you...?" I asked, but she simply shook her head and started heading up the stairs again. 

"Come on, partner," She called down. "Let's get through the first puzzle." 

"Wait!" I shouted, forcing her to stop in her tracks. "What do you mean I died?" 

"Just that," She stated plainly. "You died. Then you reset to this point. But..." 

"But what?" Her face turned pale. 

"N-nothing," She said, hurrying up the stairs. "Just get up here! I'm getting bored of the ruins already." 

I heaved a sigh and followed her up the stairs. Did I really just die? And if that's the case.... Why does Chara look so freaked out? Is it because I came back to this point? She made it seem like that was normal before.... 

So, what changed?


	5. Goat Mom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made the chapter longer. Well, really, I made a chapter 5, but decided to combine them since they were both relatively short and close together in sequence. :3

"Stay on the path,” Chara read aloud. “So, basically, just follow the path and hit those switches. They’re marked, so they’re pretty hard to miss.” 

I heaved a gentle sigh and brushed my hand through the water. Chara went back to normal, and even did the first puzzle for me since I was so scared I’d get killed again. She’s acting like I didn’t even get killed, but I can see it in her eyes. She’s still a little freaked out. I wonder what happened…. 

“Are you even listening?!” Chara snapped suddenly. I quickly lept up from my spot on the little wooden bridge and turned my attention back to her. She looked pretty angry. Did she say something after reading that plaque? “I said, stop touching the water and LET’S GO! Toriel could be here any second! We don’t wanna get caught off-guard!” 

“Oh… right,” I mumbled, looking down at the water again. This is really the first time I’ve seen myself. Is she really so surprised that I was a bit lost in thought? I did just die and come back. Add that on to seeing how I look…. who wouldn’t be lost in thought? 

“Jennifer, can we PLEASE just go?” Chara urged, pointing to the lever just past the small bridge. 

“Can you please just give me a minute?” I pleaded, sitting down on the bridge again. “All of this may be normal for you, but I really have to have a minute. Please, chara… only a minute.” She heaved a sigh and sat down next to me. 

“Fine. One minute, but if we get caught by Toriel, don’t bother crying to me,” She said, crossing her arms in defeat. 

“Thank you," I said, staring at myself in the water again. 

Looking at myself here in the water actually really helped get over the shock of what happened. The air helped as well…. something about the peaceful energy calmed my nerves. Even Chara just sitting here next to me helped. She didn’t look thrilled about just sitting here, but still.

Her green striped sweater and brown shorts combination….. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t pay attention to that before now. That outfit fits her so perfectly, it’s spooky. 

I wonder…. does my outfit fit me the same way? Somehow, I doubt it. I mean, her and I do look a bit similar in appearance, and we’re definitely the same in size and body type, but the outfit I was wearing just looked so ridiculous. I mean, the cloak isn’t bad when combined with the blue striped sweater underneath, but the hat? I think I should just get rid of it… it doesn’t really go with the sweater, or the skirt for that matter. 

“Don’t even think about it,” Chara said suddenly, tearing me from my thoughts. 

“What?” 

“Your hat. Don’t even think about getting rid of it,” She said sternly, poking me in the cheek with her index finger.

“Uh,” I started. How did she know I was….? “O...kay… I won’t get rid of it.” She smiled and rested her head on my shoulder.

“Good. You look cute with it on," She said quietly. I blinked for a moment, and then looked at us in the water. Her and I must’ve realized it at the same time, because her eyes widened at the exact same time as mine did. 

After a few moments of staring at the water, both of our faces turned bright red. She recoiled away from me, nearly toppling off the small bridge, then rose to her feet. I quickly did the same, then turned to the lever. 

“Well, let’s... get going,” I said quickly, hurrying over to the lever. She cleared her throat and followed me. “Um, it’s this one, right?” 

“That’s the only one right here, and the arrows mark it, so yes,” She pointed out, the redness vanishing from her face. 

“Yeah, of course…. silly me,” I stated, pulling the lever as hard as I could. 

How the hell is she able to get so calm so fast?! I don’t think I’ll be able to stop blushing for the next hour. I mean, come on! Did she have to rest her head on my shoulder like that?! She must really like seeing me flustered or something… Damn it. I guess it’s only natural. I did tease her before the first puzzle. What a stupid decision! She’s probably gonna keep doing stuff like that as revenge or something! 

As I moved to turn back towards her, I was frozen in place. I could see Chara’s reflection in the water out of the corner of my eye. She was blushing again….. Was that not revenge for earlier then? 

“What’s the hold up?” Chara demanded, punching me gently in the back of my head. In the reflection, she went back to normal. Chara’s a strange person….. 

“Nothing," I said quickly. “Just… lost in thought.” 

“Well, stop getting lost in thought then. Let’s go, partner. We don’t have much longer," She urged, grabbing my arm and pulling me over the next little wooden bridge. 

I couldn’t help but study her as she led me to the next lever. I wonder if that stuff is just because she’s lonely….. it doesn’t seem like she has had much company down here. It could be that she’s just impulsive. Yeah, that must be it.

I shook my head and focused on the levers in front of us. There were two this time, one marked with arrows like the last one, and one not marked at all. The doorway leading to the next area was blocked by spikes on the floor. If this was supposed to be a puzzle…. it wasn’t a very good one. 

Chara pulled the lever before I even had a chance to stop moving, then pulled me towards the doorway. The spikes lowered moments after the lever was pulled and we entered the next room without another word. 

The next room was small. Kind of. The only thing within it was a lone practice dummy. It had two buttons for eyes and no arms. I wonder what this was used to train for…..

“Oh, look, this old thing,” Chara said, coming to a stop in front of it. “Toriel must’ve brought this out recently. I haven’t seen it in over a year.” 

“Toriel brought this out?” I asked, poking it’s nose with my index finger. “Boop.” Chara burst into a chuckling fit, holding her head with one hand. 

“You’re silly," She pointed out, touching its nose with her index finger as well. “But yeah, Toriel did. Usually humans who fall down here stop and look at it. I suppose you could say it’s a test. To see which ones are violent and which aren’t.” 

“So… does Toriel lead the humans here or do they find it themselves?” 

“Both. Sometimes she leads them here, and sometimes they find it on their own," She explained. “Usually when they find it on their own she’s somewhere near by, watching to see their reactions. Otherwise, she’s there with them, helping them learn to ‘show mercy.’” 

“That sounds nothing like what a terrifying goat monster would do.” Chara recoiled a bit, her face looking like she had just made a mistake. 

“Uh, yeah…. I uh," She stammered. “Uh… well, you see.” 

“You lied to me, didn’t you?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at her. “She’s nice, isn’t she?” 

“Um…. well, that’s a matter of perspective?” She said turning away from me. 

“You’re a dirty little liar,” I teased, flicking the back of her head. “Don’t lie to me again. We can’t be partners if you lie to me all the time.” 

“Indeed. The truth is the basis of any partnership,” A voice said from out of nowhere. We both leapt backward in surprise, nearly knocking the practice dummy over. “Hello there, my children. It is good to see the first puzzles did not trouble you.” 

“Who are you?” I asked, looking in the direction of the voice. It was coming from the doorway leading to the next room. “Are you Toriel?” As soon as I finished speaking, Chara moved behind me, almost as if she was using me as a shield. 

I glanced back at Chara, then to the doorway. Was Chara afraid…? No way. 

A few seconds later, a tall figure stepped through the doorway. It was like Chara had said, a six-foot-tall goat monster. But she wasn’t as terrifying as she made her out to be, just as I thought. She looked very kind, and even a little human-like. The energy in the room became significantly nicer as she entered. 

Even her outfit was gentle. Just a purple robe with white sleeves. It even had the same symbol the first door had. Why would Chara tell me she was terrifying…?

“Yes, I am Toriel. It is good to meet you, my children," The tall goat-woman said with a smile.

I couldn’t help but inch a little closer to Toriel. Her aura was just so….. amazing. It felt just so comforting and loving…. Why does it seem like Chara is afraid of her?

“Are you OK, little one? You look like you have something on your mind,” Toriel asked, showing a little bit of concern on her face. 

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. My friend’s just a bit… nervous in front of new people and I don’t really know how to react to what she’s doing right now," I replied, glancing back at Chara who quickly jabbed me in the ribs with two fingers. Toriel giggled a little bit. 

“You two make an adorable couple.” Chara and I both froze as soon as she finished talking. 

“WHAT?!” We both exclaimed in unison. “No, no, no, no, no! We are NOT a couple!” Toriel burst into a giggling fit. Maybe we would’ve been more convincing if we hadn’t said that AT THE EXACT SAME TIME! 

“It is OK, my children. It is not wrong to find love at your age," She assured. 

“But we’re NOT…. I mean, we’re just... uh…. Help me out here Chara?” I begged, glancing over my shoulder at her. I was met by a menacing glare. “Uh…..” 

“Chara?” Toriel squeaked suddenly. Her voice was shaky, like she was crying. I returned my attention to her and nearly choked on my own tongue. She looked like she had just seen a ghost. “Chara…? Is that you, my child?” 

“Chara…? You know Torie-?” I started, turning towards Chara. 

I was cut off by a really sharp stinging pain in my chest. Chara’s eyes had became the pitch black ones I had seen in the ‘load world’ again, and her face looked twisted in anger. Both of her hands were clasped around the handle of a dagger, kind of rusty from what I could see. There was an intense tugging in my chest as the pain worsened.

"C.... Chara...?" I barely had time to utter her name, before Chara yanked the blade out of chest. Then there was a strange sound, kind of like an ocean breeze, and I was staring at red leaves again. 

The tiny ball of light twinkled brightly with my presence. It happened again.... I died. Did Chara kill me before too...?

"Jennifer." Chara's voice sent chills up my spine as it tore me from my thoughts. "I'm sorry." 

"...For what?" I asked turning to face her. A look of confusion spread across her face. 

"For.... you don't remember what just happened?" She asked in surprise. I shook my head. 

"Nope. What happened?" I lied. Her aura feels..... sad. 

"Oh.... well.... n-nothing important, I guess...." I studied her face for a moment and sighed. She may be a psychopath, but I don't think she liked killing me a second time. 

"Well, whatever it was, I'm sure it wasn't too bad," I assured her, kissing her forehead gently. "Come on. We don't want to get caught by Toriel now, do we?" 

"Right...." 

It's funny how roles switch.... should I really be lying about this? It feels.... wrong. It feels like I should be mad, but.... her aura. It just feels so.... in pain. I don't think she.... well, I may be wrong... but I don't think she can handle losing the trust of her 'partner.' 

Besides.... whatever fears or history she has with Toriel is probably pretty serious. Serious enough to get that angry about my blowing her cover. 

"Well.... let's go. The first puzzle has to be easy." 

"Wait," Chara said, grabbing my arm. "You're lying to me, aren't you?" 

"What gave it away?" I asked, heaving a gentle sigh. 

"Your soul." 

"What?" She wrapped her hand around the gem dangling from my neck and smiled gently. 

"Little known fact about souls of integrity.... when the soul's host lies, the soul grows darker in color. Temporarily, of course," She explained, gently stroking my soul with her thumb. She was right, the soul did look a bit darker in color. "Why did you lie?" 

"Um.... your aura, Chara," I admitted, refusing to make eye contact. 

"My aura?" 

"Your aura was.... sorrowful. In pain. I didn't want to worsen that pain by getting upset at you." 

As soon as i finished talking, she grit her teeth and smacked me as hard as she could across the face. I felt my glasses fly off my face almost as soon as her hand made contact. 

"I don't need your protection!" She screamed. "I know I'm a murderer! You don't have to pretend to forget that I killed you just to make me feel better!" 

"I'm sorry, Chara..... I just thought..." 

"You thought wrong," She hissed. "Meeting Toriel is inevitable now. Go on ahead without me. I'll catch up later. I.... need to be alone." 

"Okay..... I'll... try not leave the ruins without you." 

"Do as you like." 

I heaved a sigh and turned to pick up my glasses. They had cracked under the force of her smack, but they looked alright. I qently replaced them on my face and took off my hat. 

"Chara," I whispered just loud enough for her to hear. 

She turned to face me with a scowl on her face, but before she could open her mouth I placed my hat on her head and raced up the stairs. Once I was at the top I grinned down at her. 

"I'll be expecting that back, partner. Don't keep me waiting, and..... well, if you don't wanna give it back, consider it an apology present." 

"Fine.... but I still need to be alone," She grumbled. 

"No problem. Just meet me at the exit to the ruins. If you can slip past Toriel, I mean." 

"Just go," She huffed. I chuckled and waved goodbye. 

"I know it doesn't make everything better, but come on Chara. You're the one who killed me. I should be the one pouting," I reminded her before hurrying into the next room. 

I might not be seeing that hat again... not soon anyway.


	6. A Puzzling Development

I heaved a gentle sigh as I booped the dummy’s nose again. I don’t know why, but I was really nervous. My heart was racing and it felt like I was gonna pass out. 

The faint feeling of Toriel’s aura in the distance may have been to blame. Well, that and I kind of felt naked without my hat. I’m not sure why…. 

I suppose it doesn’t matter. Toriel should’ve been here by now. I must be early. I guess I did rush, so it makes sense. 

Maybe I should wait here…. nah. If I wait here, Chara might decide to catch up before Toriel even gets here. We’ll probably have a repeat of last time if that happens. 

I gently rubbed the center of my chest and shuddered. I don’t want to feel that amount of pain again. Once was more than enough. 

I glanced back at the entrance to the previous room, then turned my attention to the entrance to the next room. I really have no choice. If I go back, Chara may get mad, and if Chara gets mad….. I don’t even want to think about what she may do. 

After a few more moments of thought, I pushed further into the ruins. As soon as I entered the next room, my attention was drawn to the floor. Like the room with the brazier, the ground had lighter stones and darker stones. The lighter stones were arranged in some kind of path. 

It’s no different than the previous room though. It’s probably just a theme around here. Makes sense. Even if where to go is obvious, it’s nice to have a path to follow. 

I quietly walked along the path, which contorted itself in a bit of a snake-like pattern, and then continued further into the room. The room itself angled right and extended like a long, narrow corridor. As far as I could tell, it opened up a bit in the middle before becoming narrow again. 

Before I could explore further, a loud croaking sound erupted through the silence, nearly making me jump out of my skin. I veered around to face the sound and nearly fell over in surprise. There was a large frog sitting a few feet behind me with a bit of a confused look on its face. Between its front legs was a bit of a black area that kind of looked like it had a face in it. 

“What are you, little guy…? Are you one of the monsters Chara mentioned?” I asked the frog, kneeling down to examine the strange creature. It croaked at me in response and cocked its head to the side a bit. “Your aura feels pretty kind. Where did you come from anyway? This room was empty as far as I could tell.” 

It croaked at me again and hopped onto my head. The creature was big, but not heavy. It kind of felt like I was wearing my hat again. I chuckled at the idea of wearing a frog as a hat and lifted the creature off my head. I set it down back where he was and stood up. 

“It was nice meeting you, but I have to keep going. Be safe,” I said, waving goodbye to it as I continued down the corridor. 

I heard it croak at me one last time as I passed by a plaque on the wall. I didn’t bother trying to read it as I passed by. There was no point. Until Chara teaches how to read this language, I’m not going to be able to understand what it says. 

My body tensed as I continued into the widened area. A small wooden bridge connected the stones to a walkway made of metal. The metal walkway was separated into multiple squares. It looked to be another puzzle, but this one looked much more dangerous than the last ones. The metal walkway was covered in large spikes. I’d definitely be skewered if I messed up here…..

I scanned the room as I tried to wrap my head around this. All the puzzles before this were harmless….. why was this one suddenly deadly? 

It didn’t matter. As I scanned the room, I noticed something: the metal path was a bridge. It extended over what appeared to be a very deep pond. Kind of renders this puzzle pointless. I could just swim across….. 

Part of me wanted to do that. To cheat the puzzle by swimming across. What fun would that be though? It’s gonna suck if I get skewered, and i really don't wanna feel that pain again, but I CAN come back. May as well give it a try.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. After staring pointlessly at the metal pathway for a few minutes, I finally decided to step forward. When I extended my foot, the metal spikes lowered in one square of the walkway. 

My foot recoiled instinctively and the spikes extended again. So that’s how it works…. I shook my head and tested the other squares closest to me. Only two of the four squares lowered their spikes. The other two extended their spikes further when my foot came near them. This is gonna be tricky…. 

“Wait!” A voice cried out. I immediately recognized it. My gaze fell on the other side of the metal path. Toriel was standing on the other side with a very worried look on her face. “Do not attempt this puzzle child. It is too deadly.” 

“I kind of figured that…. who are you?” I asked, feigning ignorance. Her aura is just like last time… so loving and caring. 

“I am Toriel, the caretaker of these ruins. Please, wait there. I will help you through this puzzle,” She urged. 

I nodded in response and stepped away from the puzzle. Toriel quickly made her way through the spikes without hesitation. The path she took was a little winding, but she made it through without a single mistake. I never would’ve figured that out…. 

“My name is Jennifer,” I said as she made it to my side of the puzzle. She smiled at me warmly and placed her hands gently in front of her. 

“It is nice to meet you, my child,” Toriel stated. “I am glad that I found you before you attempted this puzzle. You could have been seriously injured, dear child.” 

“Well, there wasn’t really much else I could do. I don’t even know where I am exactly,” I stated. 

This was only half-true. I could’ve swam across, and Chara told me we were in the Underground, but I don’t exactly know where that is… aside from underground. She did say something about “Mount Ebott,” but still….

“You are in the Underground, little one. Do not be afraid. No one will harm you while you are in the ruins,” She explained. “I can guide you through the catacombs. My home is at the end of these passages.” 

“That sounds nice, but… is there any way you can help me out of this place?” I asked quietly. Her aura seemed to sadden a bit as soon as I finished speaking. 

“I,” She began, hesitating greatly. “There is….” 

“Can you at least help me out of the ruins?” I asked, studying her face.

“T-this puzzle is not complicated once you understand it," She said quickly, changing the subject. 

She took my hand in hers and began leading me through the puzzle. Much like with Chara, resisting her was pointless. All I had to do was resist slightly before I realized I wasn’t exactly strong enough to resist her. Still, she didn’t seem dangerous. So I didn’t feel like resisting anyway. 

That makes me wonder though…. what is she hiding from me…? Does Chara know? I’ll have to ask later on… hopefully she doesn’t lie to me. 

Whatever. What could it possibly be, anyway? It’s not like she’s threatening my life. So, whatever reason she has for hesitating has to be a serious one. 

“There we go,” Toriel said, pulling me from my thoughts. We made it through the puzzle without me even realizing it. I must seriously space out when I think…. “This puzzle is definitely too dangerous. I must make a point of making it safer in the future.” 

“It would be a fun puzzle if the risk of death wasn’t involved,” I pointed out. “Not everyone wants their chances of death to spike when they’re having fun.” 

Toriel broke into a small giggling fit as soon as I finished speaking. It took me a moment to realize what I said could be interpreted as a pun. I couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit at that. 

“You have a point there, my child,” Toriel responded, immediately giggling at her own pun. “There are a few puzzles ahead. None of them are dangerous, but you should still be careful.” 

“Sounds like fun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to update. Still, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know if you have any questions/comments.


End file.
